Finally your revealing your beliefs. Thank you.
I said." And if you focus too much on self or the flesh then sin will be prevalent and it will relationally strain your connection to God."
So you follow Once saved always saved? If you are in Christ then you can never lose salvation. You are sealed with a earnest example or translated
728 arrhabṓn – properly, an installment;
a deposit ("down-payment") which guarantees the balance (the full purchase-price).
728 /arrhabṓn ("down-payment pledge") is the regular term in NT times for "
earnest-money," i.e.
advance-payment that guarantees
the rest will be given.
728 (
arrhabṓn)
then represents full security backed by the purchaser who supplies sufficient proof they will fulfill the entire pledge (promise).
God's down payment is the Spirit.
Mankind's faith is the fulfillment of the promise.
God has laid down everything already, the gift is free for all who will believe John 3:16. You can fall away Galatians 5:4 or apostate 1 Timothy 4:1. But that is free choice. This is why Jesus warns to abide 2 John 9 or remain in Him John 15:6 or else you will be of no use, gathered up and burned. But God is faithful and forgiving. If one was to return, grace is still given. All this hinges on faith. Of course some claim faith is a work. But that is easily defeated in scripture.
John 6:28-29 New International Version (NIV)
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to
believe in the one he has sent.”
The Greek word here for believe is different than the scriptures that refer to faith as a gift.
We have
pisteuo.
Eternal life is a promise. Technically you dont have eternal life while in the flesh. That is what we have faith in. Things not yet seen, but to come. In faith you can claim it because God is faithful in His promises but again technically in the flesh your only here for a finite amount of time.
Submission, repentance, relationship isn't a work for salvation. Salvation is by faith alone, that you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. We are justified through Christ and therefore seen as righteous in the eyes of God. Our debt had been paid. Sin is now a relationship hindrance. Submission and repentance isnt us waiting until glorification to stop sinning. It us in the sanctification process or God working in us.
Grace freed me from the condemnation of sin.